Kashgar Travel Guide - Brief Information on Kashgar

As a western frontier city of China, Kashgar has a special geographical location, abundant natural resources, a rich Western Region culture and simple folk. A shining pearl on the Silk Road, Kashgar is located between Karakoram Range and Taklimakan Desert, and is the westernmost city of China. Great contributions can be attributed to Kashgar, for enhancing the cultural communications between the Eastern and Western Worlds. Aliving fossil of Xinjiang, Kashgar is a microcosm of society, a fine example being its unique Xinjiang Characters and Uygur folklore.  A trip to Xinjiang cannot be done without visiting Kashgar.

In Uygur language, Kashgar means ‘a place where precious stones get together’. This name carries some truth with the finding of precious stones in the region, such as Kulun Jade and Hetian Jade. According to historic records, Kashgar has been a town for more than two millenia.

When Zhang Qian was sent to Western Regions, Kashgar was called Shule. After Ban Chao in East Han Dynasty conquered Western Regions, Kashgar became an important city. During the most prosperous Tang Dynasty, Kashgar was one of the famous four towns outside Hexi Corridor. For thousands of years, Kashgar was the junction of East-West trades. With a total area of 294.21 km2, Kashgar city is home to 26 nationalities, such as the Uygur, Han, Uzbek, Kirgiz, Tajik, etc.

In Kashgar, the roof of the world, Pamirs, winds down the Yarkant River, Muztag Ata, which means ‘father of Ice Mountain’ in Uygur language. Continue down and you pass Mount Qogir, the second highest peak in the world, Karakul Lake, an alpine lake and Taklimakan Desert, also called ‘the sea of death’.
Kashgar also has many cultural relics and historic sites like Id Kah Mosque, Abakh Hoja Mosque, More Pagoda and the Stone City in Tush-Kurghan. In recent years, Kashgar and the nearby counties have been opened gradually and basic tourism facilities have been improved gradually, making it a tourist magnet.